Perturbation

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Hell Freezes Over

Posted: 07 Feb 2016 04:23 AM PST
http://ke9v.net/2016/02/07/hell-freezes-over/

I’ve stared into the screen for the last fifteen minutes trying to come up
with a clever opening line to explain what I did this week. But words have
failed me, so I’ll just say it — after forty years of pounding brass, much
of that time spent in condemnation of the wretched device, I bought a bug.
My longstanding disdain for the contraption was forged by its frequent
abuse through misuse. There’s not another mechanical device on the planet
capable of slandering Morse code the way a bug can. You ask it for three
dits and it will give you six lickety-split and think it’s doing you a
favor.

Old men like me often take up the bug late in life, usually without
sufficient practice, the result being a sacrilegious butchering of Morse.
Most of the affection it receives comes from the fact that us old guys wax
nostalgic and love shiny things from the Land of Ago.
That, and on those rare occasions when you happen to tune across a fellow
who has truly mastered the art and skill of the bug, what pours forth is as
pleasing to the ear and soothing to the soul as an evening sipping good
bourbon at a hot little jazz club.
I was smitten by this 1962 Vibroplex Blue Racer that’s been restored by a
friend who happens to be a master craftsman and a maestro at the bug.
We had breakfast one day this week and he explained the basics of bug
operation and even lent me a code practice oscillator, to keep it off the
air until I’m ready. I’ve spent about an hour or so in practice so far and
can honestly say that I probably won’t put it into use for at least six
months. Practice, practice, practice
So fellows, if you caught an unnatural chill in the air one day last week
have no fear, it likely wasn’t a sign of more winter weather ahead. It was
just a breeze off the lake of fire flash-frozen on the news that KE9V
bought a bug.
Filed under: Ham Radio Tagged: cw, keys